Container



Feb. 28, 1967 F. ARMBRUSTER CONTAINER Filed Jan. 9, 1964 United States Patent Ofi-ice 3,306,489 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,306,489 CONTAINER Fritz Armbruster, Stuttgart-Stammheim, Germany, assignor te Diener di Roth, Stuttgart, Germany Filed Jan. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 336,751

Claims priority, application Germany, Jian. 14, 1963,

The present invention relates to containers in general, and more particularly to barrels for sto-rage of beer and similar tasteand color-sensitive liquid substances. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in reinforcing or armoring means for side walls of barrels at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material.

It is already known to provide a plastic barrel with annular reinforcing elements which are applied to and integrally connected with the side wall in the manufacture of the barrel so that such reinforcing elements actually form integral parts of the side wall. Such methods are quite expensive, and if the side wall expands more than the reinforcing elements when the barrel is heated, oertain portions of the side wall which extend between a pair of adjacent reinforcing elements will bulge outwardly to form at the inner side of the wall pockets which are ditiicult to clean and which might serve as a breeding ground for bacteria. If the stored liquid is beer, bacteria will affect the taste and the appearance of the brew.

It is also known to provide the side walls of plastic barrels with comparatively thick and strong hoops which are forcibly shrunk onto the side walls to limit radial expansion and to prevent excessive increases in the volume of a barrel. However, such heavy hoops mus-t be applied with great force in order to make sure that they remain on the bulged side wall when the barrel is cooled to and below C. When a strong hoop is driven in position with great force, the material of the side wall bulges outwardly at both sides of the hoop and the inner side of the side wall is formed with complementary annular depressions which are diicult to clean and which will be filled with beer stone if the stored liquid is beer. Furthermore, the portions of the side wall which bulge outwardly and beyond a hoop will affect the appearance of the barrel and will come in actual contact with the ground when the barrel is rolled so that they wear away rapidly and their surfaces will be scratched or otherwise damaged to allow for accumulation of dirt which is dithcult to remove.

Accordingly, it is an important object of my invention to provide an improved plastic barrel whose side wall is armored with one o-r more reinforcing elements of novel construction, of lightweight design, of strongly wear-resistant material, and wherein the reinforcing elements not only control the expansion of but also protect the side wall when the barrel is rolled along the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of applying one or more lightweight reinforcing elements to the peripheral surfaces of side walls of plastic barrels and similar contain-ers.

A further object of the invention is to` provide novel reinforcing elements which may be used on side walls of plastic barrels and similar containers.

An additional object of the invention is -to provide an improved plastic barrel whose side wall is constructed and coniigurated in a novel way to receive one or more reinforcing elements of the above outlined characteristics.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an improved lightweight plastic barrel which is especially suited for storage of beer and other tasteand colorysensitive carbonated liquids.

Still another object of the invention is to pro-vide a reinforcing element which will prevent excessive expansion of the side wall in a plastic barrel even though its weight is negligible in comparison with the weight of the side wall, and which may be applied to the side wall in a very simple manner upon completion of the remainder of the barrel.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a reinforcing element which may be applied to the side wall without excessive deformation of the side wall and/or the reinforcing element and which may be held in position against axial shifting in a very simple and efcient way.

With the above objects in View, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a container, particularly for storage of beer and other tasteand color-sensitive carbonated beverages. The barrel comprises a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material, such as low-pressure polyethylene, and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response -to chan-ges in temperature. The side wall is surrounded by at least :one annular reinforcing element which exhibits a tendency to expand and contract less than the side wall in response to changes in temperature so that each reinforcing element limits the expansion of the side wall in response -to heating. The side Wall is provided with circumferential shoulders, projections or analogous stop means to prevent axial shifting of reinforcing elements when the side Wall contracts more than a .reinforcing element in response to cooling.

The novel features which are characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved container itself, however, both as to its construction and the method of making and assembling the same, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing the single illustration of which is a partly elevational and partly sectional view 'of an armored barrel whose side wall is provided with a series of annular reinforcing elements.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a container in the form of a barrel for beer and similar tasteand colorsensitive carbonated beverages. The barrel comprises a tubular side wall 12 whose chimes 10 are integral with two concavo-convex end walls 12a, 12b of the type described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 207,513. The walls 12, 12a, 12b consist at least in l part -but preferably entirely of suitable synthetic plastic material, e.g., low-pressure polyethylene, and may be formed in accordance with a blowing method as described in the aforementioned application Serial No. 207,513. The side wall 12 is surrounded by a series of axially spaced annular reinforcing elements which are constructed, mounted and secured in accordance with various embodiments of my invention. As shown, the peripheral surface of the side wall 12 is provided with four axially spaced annular grooves or recesses 14, 16, 18 and 20 which serve as stop means to prevent axial shifting of the respective reinforcing elements in response to cooling the barrel.

The reinforcing element 22 which is received in the left-hand groove 14 is a one-piece ring of metallic or plastic wire whose ends are welded together and which, at normal temperature, abuts against the bottom surface of the groove 14. The material and the cross-sectional dimensions (diameter) of the ring 22 are selected in such a way that this ring will expandv less than the side wall 12 in response to heating and that this ring contracts less than the side wall in response to cooling whereby the ring prevents radial expansion of the corresponding part of the side wall 12 beyond a predetermined limit. When the barrel is cooled, not necessarily on purpose but because the temperature of the surrounding air changes, the side wall will contract more than the ring 22 and, therefore, the depth of the groove 14 is selected in such a way that its side walls prevent axial shifting of the ring even if the barrel is cooled to about or even below C.

The second groove 1 receives a different reinforcing element 24, here shown as a comparatively wide onepiece hoop which is provided with circumferentially spaced apertures 26 to receive radially outwardly extending projections 28 which are integral with or which are detachably secured to the side wall 12. While the depth of the groove 16 normally suces to prevent axial shifting of the hoop 24 when the barrel is cooled, the height of the projections preferably exceeds at least slightly the depth of this groove to insure that the hoop is held against axial shifting even if the barrel is cooled to an exceptionally low temperature. In other words, the groove 16 and the projections 28 constitute a composite stop means and serve to prevent any axial displacements of the hoop 24. If desired or necessary, the side wall 12 may be provided with additional stop means, here shown as radially outwardly extending projections 28a, which are adjacent to the opposite sides of the hoop 24 and which serve the same purpose as the groove 16 and projections 28. It goes without saying that each of the stop means 16, 28 and 28a may be used singly or in combination with one additional stop means. Thus, the groove 16 and/or projections 28a may be omitted or, alternatively, the projections 28 with apertures 26 and/or the projections 28a may be dispensed with. The projections 28a may be replaced by annular ribs which ank the edge faces of the hoop 24.

The bottom surface 30 of the third groove 18 is surrounded by a reinforcing element which comprises at 1 least one complete but preferably a plurality of helical convolutions 34. This bottom surface 3ft is provided with a helical channel 32 which receives the convolutions 34 so that each convolution is held against axial movement. The material of the convolutions 34 is a metal or a synthetic plastic substance and, here again, the reinforcing element including the convolutions 34 tends to expand or contract less than the material of the side wall 12 in response to changes in temperature so that the adjacent portion of the side wall cannot expand beyond a given limit which is determined by the expansion of the convolutions 34 at an elevated temperature. This is true for all types of reinforcing means which are used on the barrel of my invention to prevent excessive radial expansion of the side wall 12. Not only is the depth of channels 32 sufficient to prevent axial shifting of the convolutions 34 in response to cooling of the barrel but, should the convolutions actually move out of the respective channels,

the depth of the groove 18 suffices to prevent axial shift-l ing of the reinforcing element which includes the convolutions 34. The free ends of the outermost convolutions 34 are welded or otherwise secured to the material of the side wall. It is also possibleto connect the free ends of the outermost convolutions to each other, eg., by a suitable knot or by welding.

The fourth groove 20 accommodates a reinforcing element 36 here shown as a comparatively wide one-piece plastic or metallic hoop which is surrounded by an annular outer covering 38 of low-pressure polyethylene or another suitable wear-resistant synthetic plastic material. The marginal portions 40 of the outer covering 38 extend beyond the hoop 36, as seen in the axial direction of the barrel, and are welded, glued or otherwise secured to the peripheral surface of the side wall 12. Thus, the groove 20 and the outer covering 38 serve as stop means to prevent axial shifting of the hoop 3d when the barrel is cooled to a temperature at which the bottom surface of the groove 20 moves away from the internal surface of the hoop. Of course, the outer covering 38 or the groove 20 may be used alone as long as each of these stop means is capable of preventing axial shifting of the hoop 36 at temperatures in the range of about or below 0 C. It will be noted that the outer covering 38 surrounds a median portion of the side wall 12 whose diameter exceeds the diameters of the chimes 10 so that, when the barrel is rolled, the outer side of the covering 38 will come in actual contact with the ground and will protect the peripheral surface of the side wall 12. Therefore, this outer covering 38 preferably consists of highly wear-resistant material.

The reinforcing means for the side wall 12 comprises a further reinforcing element which consists of a helically convoluted wire or strip material 42. The free ends of the outermost convolutions of the reinforcing element 42 may but need not be secured to the side wall 12 or to each other because this element is surrounded by an annular outer covering 44 whose marginal portions 45 extend axially beyond the outermost convolutions and are welded,

glued or otherwise secured to the peripheral surface of the .side wall 12. If desired, and as shown, the convolutions of the reinforcing element 47. may be at least partially embedded in the material of the outer covering t4 which may consist of low-pressure polyethylene or another wearresistant material. The peripheral surface of the side wall 12 may but need not be provided with a helical channel to receive portions of the convolutions which form the reinforcing element 42. The element 42 consists of metal or another unorganic material.

The convolutions of the reinforcing element 42 may be embedded in the material of the outer covering 44 before the latter is applied around the side wall 12. This outer covering constitutes the sole stop means for preventing axial shifting of the reinforcing element 42. Furthermore, it is equally possible to apply an outer covering 44a (indicated by phantom lines) about the hoop 16 and to actually embed the hoop in the material of the outer covering 44a. As a rule, the bond between the side wall 12 and the outer covering will be stronger if the reinforcing element is embedded in o'r secured to the outer covering before the latter is afxed to the ,side wall. Since the coverings are rather thin, and since they consist of elastically deformable material, each thereof can be readily expanded without any danger of permanent deformation at the time it is applied about the side wall 12.

The right-hand chime 10 is formed with an annular groove including an axially extending annular portion Sti which extends inwardly from the end face of the chime and whose inner end communicates with a radially extending second annular portion 52. These annular portions receive a further annular reinforcing element including a hoop-shaped portion 48 which is fully received in the annular portion S8 and a ring-shaped portion 54 which is fully received in the annular portion S2. The reinforcing element 48, 54 is placed in position at the time the chime 10 is formed and `assists the latter in preventing excessive radial expansion of the right-hand axial end of the side wall 12 and of the end wall 12b. The other chime 1% may be provided with a similar reinforcing element. The annular portion 48 is integral with the ring-shaped portion 54 so that these portions are held against axial movement in the grooves 50, 52.

The reinforcing elements 22, 24, 36 may be mounted on the side wall 12 by cooling the barrel to a very low temperature and by heating the reinforcing elements so that the side wall contracts and that the reinforcing elements expand sufficiently to be slidable along the peripheral surface of the side wall and into the respective grooves. If the expansion of the heated reinforcing elements and the contraction of the cooled side wall are insufficient to permit insertion of the reinforcing elements into their grooves, the reinforcing elements are applied by force, i.e., either by expanding them to a degree just below the elastic limit of their material or by mechanically compressing the side wall 12 within the elastic limit. Depending on the dimensioning of the reinforcing elements, they are received in the respective grooves rather snugly (i.e., they may be subjected to slight expandingV stresses) or with some radial play when the barrel is stored or transported at normal temperatures. However, the dimensioning of the reinforcing elements must be such that they cannot leave the respective grooves in response to contraction of the side wall 12 when the temperature of this side wall equals or approximates the temperature of the reinforcing elements. Of course, these elements may leave their grooves if they are additionally held by radial projections or outer coverings. The extent to which the side wall 12 may expand in response to heating can be determined in advance by proper dimensioning of the reinforcing elements and/ or by proper selection of the material of which the reinforcing elements are made. The outer coverings cooperate with the reinforcing elements to prevent excessive radial expansion of the side wall. The feature that the reinforcing elements will prevent radial expansion of the side wall 12 beyond a predetermined limit is of particular importance when the barrel serves for storage of beer and similar tasteand color-sensitive carbonated liquids because it is well known that carbon dioxide gas should remain in the beer and that such gas will be separated from the beer if the volume of the barrel isfpermitted to increase beyond a given maximum volume. Of course, each reinforcing element is dimensioned in such a way that it can withstand the tensional stresses which arise in response to heating when the side wall 12 tends to expand more than the reinforcing elements. Also, .such tensional stresses upon the reinforcing elements should remain within H'ookes elastic limit, i.e., the material of :the rreinforcing elements should not be subjected to permanent deformation.

At least some or all reinforcing elements may consist of comparatively thin metallic or plastic material so that their combined weight adds comparatively little t-o the combined weight of the walls 12, 12a, 12b. This is of considerable advantage since an important feature of a plas tic barrel is low weight combined with high resistance to Wear. Certain known types of plastic barrels of which I am aware at this time must be provided with exceptionally strong metallic hoops to insure that the hoops may withstand stresses which develop during application to the side wall of a barrel at normal temperature. Consequently, such heavy hoops add considerably to the weight of the barrel which is highly undesirable especially when the barrels are used not only for storage but also for transportation of beer and similar liquids.

It is to be understood that each of the reinforcing elements shown in the drawing may be utilized alone or in combination with one or more differently constructed reinforcing elements, as well as that the side wall may be armored with two or more identically constructed and configurated reinforcing elements. For example, all reinforcing elements may be constructed as hoops, rings or helically convoluted wires as long as they tend to expand less than the side wall and as long as they are held against axial shifting in response to cooling.

Wherever utilized in the appended claims, the expression cooling is intended to embrace c-ooling from a maximum temperature to a minimum temperature at which the container of my invention is normally stored or transported. As a rule, such -containers will be stored or transported in climates wherein the temperature ranges from about 50 C. to about 15 C. In case of beer, the temperature range is normally between 30 C. and 5 C. It was found that the reinforcing elements of my invention will prevent any further -radial expansion of a plastic barrel at a temperature of 30 C. or higher to insure that the carbon dioxide gas remains dissolved in the brew and that the colloidal equilibrium of the liquid remains unaffected. Otherwise, the liquid would become turbid and stale, i.e., excessive expansion of the internal space in a -beer barrel would affect not only the appearance but also the taste of t-he beverage. Excessive expan- 6 sion of the side wall must be prevented because the side wall expands more rapidly than beer when the barrel is heated so that the carbon dioxide gas tends to become separated from the liquid carrier.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications wit-hout omitting features which constitute essential characteristics of the generic and spe ciic aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A barrel, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature; at least one annular reinforcing element surrounding said side wall and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in response to changes in temperature; and stop means provided on said side wall and including an annular groove in said side wall in which said hoop is at least partially received for preventing axial shifting of said reinforcing element when said side Wall contracts more than said reinforcing element in response to cooling.

2. A container, particularly a barrel for storage of carbonated liquids, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature; at least one annular reinforcing element surrounding said side Wall and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in responseto changes in temperature so that said reinforcing element limits the expansion of said side wall in response to heating; and stop means provided on said side wall and including an annular -groove in said side wall in which said hoop is at least partially received for preventing axial shifting of said reinforcing element when said side wall contracts more than said reinforcing element in response to cooling.

3. A barrel, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature; at least one annular reinforcing element surrounding said side wall and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in response to changes in temperature, the cross-sectional dimensions of said reinforcing element being such that said element prevents expansion of said side wall beyond a predetermined limit in response to heating of said side Wall to a temperature at which, in the absence of said element, the side wall would expand beyond said predetermined limit; and stop means provided on said side wall and including an annular groove in said side wall in which said hoop is at least partially received for preventing axial shifting of said reinforcing element when said side wall contracts more than said reinforcing element in response to cooling.

4. A barrel, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature; a reinforcing hoop surrounding said side wall and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in response to changes in temperature; and stop means provided on said side wall and including an annular groove in said side wall in which said hoop is at least partially received for preventing axial shifting of said hoop when said side wall contracts more than said hoop in response to cooling.

5. A barrel, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature; and at least one annular reinforcing element comprising a plurality of successive increments surrounding said side Wall and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in response to changes in temperature, said side wall having a peripheral surface provided with an annular groove receiving said reinforcing element and the depth of said groove being sucient to prevent shifting of said increments of said reinforcing element in both axial directions of said side wall when the latter contracts more than said reinforcing element in response to cooling.

6. A barrel, particularly for storage of carbonated liquids, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract Iradially in response to changes in temperature; at least one annular reinforcing hoop surrounding said side wall and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in response to changes in temperature so that said reinforcing hoop limits the expansion of said side wall in response to heating; and stop means for preventing axial shifting of circumferentially successive increments of said hoop in both axial directions of said side wall when said side wall contracts more than said reinforcing hoop in response to cooling, said stop means comprising an annular groove in Which said hoop is at least partially received and an annular outer covering surrounding said reinforcing hoop and having marginal portions extending beyond said reinforcing hoop, as seen in the axial direction of said side wall, said marginal portions being secured to said side wall.

7. A barrel as set forth in claim 6, wherein the marginal portions of said outer covering are welded to said side wall.

8. A barrel as set forth in claim 6, wherein said outer z covering consists of wear-resistant synthetic plastic material.

9. A barrel as set forth in claim 8, wherein said outer covering consists of low-pressure polyethylene.

10. A barrel, particularly for storage of carbonated liquids, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature; at least one annular reinforcing hoop surrounding said side wall and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in response to changes in temperature so that said reinforcing hoop limits the expansion of said side wall in response to heating; and stop means for preventing axial shifting of circumferentially successive increments of said hoop in both axial directions of said side wall when said side wall contracts more than said reinforcing element in response to cooling, said stop means comprising an annular groove in which said hoop is at least partially received and an annular outer Covering surrounding said reinforcing hoop and having marginal portions extending beyond said reinforcing hoop, as seen in the axial direction of said side wall, said marginal portions being secured to said side wall and said reinforcing hoop being embedded in the material of said outer covering.

11. A container, particularly a barrel for storage of carbonated liquids, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature; a plurality of axially spaced annular reinforcing hoops surrounding said side wall and each thereof having a tendency to expand and contract less t-han said side wall in response to changes in temperature so that said reinforcing hoops limit the expansion of said side wall in response to heating; and stop means provided on said side wall and comprising a corresponding plurality of annular grooves provided in the outer peripheral surface of said side wall, said hoops each being received in all of said grooves for preventing axial shifting of circumferentially distributed increments of the respective hoops in direction toward both ends of said side wall when said side wall contracts more than said reinforcing hoops in response to cooling.

12. A container, particularly a barrel for storage of carbonated liquids, comprising a tubular side wall at least the major part of which consists of synthetic plastic material and which has a tendency to expand and contract radially in response to changes in temperature, said side wall comprising two chimes at the axial ends thereof; first reinforcing means comprising at least one annular reinforcing hoop surrounding said side wall at a point intermediate said chimes and having a tendency to expand and contract less than said side wall in response to changes in temperature so that said hoop means limits the expan# sion of the side wall in response to heating; stop meansprovided lon said side wall and comprising an annular groove provided in the outer peripheral surface of said side wall, said hoop being received in said groove for preventing axial shifting of circumferentially distributed increments of said ho-op in direction toward both ends of said side wall when said side wall contracts more than said hoop in response to cooling; and second reinforcing means comprising an annular reinforcing element embedded in one of said chimes.

13. A container as set forth in claim 12, wherein said one chime has an annular end face and is provided with a composite groove including a rst annular portion extending inwardly from said end face in the axial direction of said side wall and a second portion extending radially from said rst portion and spaced from said end face, the. reinforcing element of said second reinforcing means comprising a first annular portion received in the first portion of said groove and a second annular portion received in the second portion of said groove, said last mentioned re-f inforcing element having a tendency to expand and contract less than said one chime in response to changes in temperature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 412,212 10/1889 Thornton 217-92 1,104,997 7/1914 Mosher 220-71 1,156,131 10/1915 Braddock 217-91 1,747,298 2/1930 Hassel 220-71` 2,370,677 3/1945 Mapes 220--3 3,025,992 3 1962 Humphrey 220-71 FOREIGN PATENTS 704,382 2/ 1965 Canada. 1,323,301 2/ 1963 France.

851,855 10/1960 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

JAMES R. GARRETT, Examiner. 

12. A CONTAINER, PARTICULARLY A BARREL FOR STORAGE OF CARBONATED LIQUIDS, COMPRISING A TUBULAR SIDE WALL AT LEAST THE MAJOR PART OF WHICH CONSISTS OF SYNTHETIC PLASTIC MATERIAL AND WHICH HAS A TENDENCY TO EXPAND AND CONTACT RADIALLY IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE, SAID SIDE WALL COMPRISING TWO CHIMES AT THE AXIAL ENDS THEREOF; FIRST REINFORCING MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE ANNULAR REINFORCING HOOP SURROUNDING SAID SIDE WALL AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE SAID CHIMES AND HAVING A TENDENCY TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT LESS THAN SAID SIDE WALL IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE SO THAT SAID HOOP MEANS LIMITS THE EXPANSION OF THE SIDE WALL IN RESPONSE TO HEATING; STOP MEANS PROVIDED ON SAID SIDE WALL AND COMPRISING AN ANNULAR GROOVE PROVIDED IN THE OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID SIDE WALL, SAID HOOP BEING RECEIVED IN SSAID GROOVE FOR PREVENTING AXIAL SHIFTING OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISTRIBUTED INCREMENTS OF SAID HOOP IN DIRECTION TOWARD BOTH ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALL WHEN SAID SIDE WALL CONTRACTS MORE THAN SAID HOOP IN RESPONSE TO COOLING; AND SECOND REINFORCING MEANS COMPRISING AN ANNULAR REINFORCING ELEMENT EMBEDDED IN ONE OF SAID CHIMES. 